Abbey Vocational School has impressed again with a new Christmas song from their cross-border collaboration.
Over the past few months, a very special musical partnership has been forming between students at the Abbey Vocational School, Donegal Town, and North West Regional College, Derry.
Audiences were wowed in November when a Virtual Choir version of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ was launched on the Abbey Vocational School’s social media platforms. The release to date has had over 10,000 views.
The students and staff are very excited to unveil their next project, a cross-border version of the Bob Geldof and Band Aid classic ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’, which was launched last night. Lyrics of the song have been altered as a dedication to the front line staff who have worked so tirelessly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
The cross-border project was founded recently by AVS Music Teacher Farrah Bogle, and Music Performance Course Coordinator at NWRC, Marc Geagan. The choir initially involved 22 singers from the Abbey Vocational School, and featured the instrumental talents of Music and Performing Arts students from NWRC. There has since been huge growth and interest in the project which now features over 50 staff and students from both organisations, with the addition of students from the Project Sparks initiative (Derry).
Geraldine Diver the Principal of the Abbey Vocational School said that the school is delighted to be involved in this project and she commends the number of young people who have put themselves forward to be involved in this. “We are particularly delighted to see out three music teachers performing as well as a large number of our teaching staff and SNAs as well as our 4 member senior management team. This project has brought so much positivity to so many with its uplifting feel good spirit and it is just super to have access to a choir in this format as we all really miss this from a wellbeing perspective”.
“The importance of such arts groups are essential to the overall well-being of the people who engage with them so this has really been so welcomed by performers and viewers alike. I wish to thank Farrah Bogle our music teacher who lead out on this project for us here in the AVS as the undertaking of this arrangement is no mean feat”.
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